No Vise? No Problem With These Work-Holding Hacks

It's a workshop axiom: If you can't hold the workpiece securely, you can't work on it well. Sure, there are lots of times when you can hold something with one hand and cut or drill it with the other. But there are other times that the workpiece has to be firmly clamped because you need two hands to operate the power tool or hand tool.

A firm hold on the workpiece is no problem in most cases when you're working in a fully-equipped shop with a workbench. But it can be maddeningly difficult to keep a workpiece secure when you're away from the shop. Whether you're in the shop or away, the problem becomes even more acute when the workpiece is small or oddly shaped.

Occasionally, there's also the problem of access to the workpiece. Access to do the work is as important as keeping the workpiece locked down and there are many instances when a typical bench vise or machinist's vise will secure the part but not permit as much access as you need.

You just have to be inventive. These hacks come to the rescue.

View in Browser  SHOP EXCLUSIVE SUBSCRIBE No Vise? No Problem With These Work-Holding Hacks No Vise? No Problem With These Work-Holding Hacks It's a workshop axiom: If you can't hold the workpiece securely, you can't work on it well. Sure, there are lots of times when you can hold something with one hand and cut or drill it with the other. But there are other times that the workpiece has to be firmly clamped because you need two hands to operate the power tool or hand tool. A firm hold on the workpiece is no problem in most cases when you're working in a fully-equipped shop with a workbench. But it can be maddeningly difficult to keep a workpiece secure when you're away from the shop. Whether you're in the shop or away, the problem becomes even more acute when the workpiece is small or oddly shaped. Occasionally, there's also the problem of access to the workpiece. Access to do the work is as important as keeping the workpiece locked down and there are many instances when a typical bench vise or machinist's vise will secure the part but not permit as much access as you need. You just have to be inventive. These hacks come to the rescue. It's a workshop axiom: If you can't hold the workpiece securely, you can't work on it well. Sure, there are lots of times when you can hold something with one hand and cut or drill it with the other. But there are other times that the workpiece has to be firmly clamped because you need two hands to operate the power tool or hand tool. A firm hold on the workpiece is no problem in most cases when you're working in a fully-equipped shop with a workbench. But it can be maddeningly difficult to keep a workpiece secure when you're away from the shop. Whether you're in the shop or away, the problem becomes even more acute when the workpiece is small or oddly shaped. Occasionally, there's also the problem of access to the workpiece. Access to do the work is as important as keeping the workpiece locked down and there are many instances when a typical bench vise or machinist's vise will secure the part but not permit as much access as you need. You just have to be inventive. These hacks come to the rescue. Read More Read More In the History of War, Tanks With Multiple Cannons Have Always Failed. Until Now These new designs feature remote-control turrets and advanced sensors for superior performance. Read More A Woman Bought a Used Vase for $3.99—and It Turned Out to Be an Ancient Mayan Treasure You never know if an old trinket could be a priceless piece of history. Read More SpaceX Will Deliver the International Space Station's Deorbiting Death Knell One day the International Space Station will retire, and SpaceX's deorbiting vehicle will deliver it to its fiery destination. Read More Whether You're a Console or PC Gamer, Optimize Your Play Sessions With These Top Gaming TVs Get the most out of your next-gen console with buttery smooth frame rates and popping colors. Read More Why Do Stolen Relics Worth Millions Keep Ending up in America's Most Prestigious Museums? How two bronze masks, stolen in the 1990s, found their way home to Nepal after 30 years. Read More Need Assistance? Contact Us. Follow Us Unsubscribe | Privacy Notice | CA Notice at Collection Popular Mechanics is a publication of Hearst Magazines. ©2024 Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This email was sent by Hearst Magazines, 300 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019-3779